Locally developed solar-battery project with four hours of storage joins NSW planning pipeline

Melbourne based renewable energy developer and operator Mint Renewables has begun local community engagement for its proposed 360-megawatt (MW) Magpie Hill solar farm and 1,440-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system.

Mint Renewables, founded in 2022, confirmed to journalists on Monday that they had begun community engagement for the proposed Magpie Hill solar farm and battery, set to be built approximately 6 kilometres southwest of Tarago in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales.

The project is currently proposed for an area of around 750 hectares, though the final footprint of the project will depend on planning and environmental considerations, grid requirements, technology selection, and feedback from stakeholders and the local community.

But a key factor in the site currently under investigation is its proximity to an existing 330kV overhead transmission line which would allow for efficient connection to the local grid while keeping any new transmission requirements to the bare minimum.

At this early stage, the solar farm is targeting an “approximate capacity” of 360 MW, while the battery energy storage system (BESS) appears to be set at a four-hour 360 MW capacity, or 1,440 MWh.

If approval is granted for these figures, the Magpie Hill solar farm could generate power equivalent to the needs of 127,000 homes, while the BESS could provide energy capacity enough to supply over 500,000 homes for four hours.

As part of this early stage of development, Mint Renewables is holding several drop-in information sessions to share details about the project with the local community. Mint Renewables will hold four sessions next week in Tarago and nearby Bungendore.

In Tarago, three sessions will be held at the Tarago Town Hall:

• Thursday 26 February: 4.30 – 7.30 pm
• Friday 27 February: 9.00 – 11.00 am
• Saturday 28 February: 10.00 am – 1.00 pm

The Bungendore session will be held at the Norah Starrs Community Centre:

• Saturday 28 February: 3.00 – 6.00 pm

More information about the drop-in sessions and the project itself can be found at www.magpiehillsolarfarm.com.au.